Pouring spout



Nov. 18, 1958 R. E. HARTUNG ET AL POURING SPOUT Filed April 5, 1956 INVEN TOR.

(250/ 440 F 664 mm BY M" United States Patent POURING SPOUT Richard E.Hartung, Rumsen, and Cleonard F. Harms,

East Keansburg, N. 3., assignors to Plastics Manufacturing Inc., Orange,N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 5, 1956, Serial No.576,293

Claims. (Cl. 222-519) This invention relates to pouring devices for usein dispensing of various products from containers. The device oftheinvention is adapted to be secured to a container aperture, andembodies novel structural features enabling it to be selectively movedto its open and closed positions, rapidly and accurately, and with aminimum of effort.

Further features of the invention will become apparent on aconsideration of the description below and the attached drawings,including novel means to provide an eifective closure seal for thedevice when in the closed position, to thus seal the container, and theprovision of means to preclude the excessive movement or displacement ofthe parts of the device in use.

These and other advantageous objects, which will appear from thedrawings and from the description hereinafter, are accomplished by thestructure of my invention, of which an embodiment is illustrated in thedrawings. It will be apparent, from a consideration of said drawings andthe' following description, that the invention may be embodied in otherforms suggested thereby, and such other forms as come within the scopeof the appended claims are to be considered within the scope and purviewof the instant invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a transverse, vertical sectional view of a pouring deviceembodying the invention, shown secured to the apertured end of acontainer and closing the same.

Fig. 2 is a similar view taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 3, showing thepouring device in its open position, enabling the contents of thecontainer to be dispensed therefrom, and

Fig. 3 is a top plan view taken on line 33' of Fig. 2.

As shown in the drawings, the device comprises a tube adapted to besuitably secured at its lower end 11, to an opening 12 in a container 13so as to extend therefrom. The particular means for securing the tube 10to the container 13 may be varied to suit the taste or requirements ofthe user of the device, that shown in the drawings being one of aninfinite variety of such means suited to the purpose. A spout cap 14 isprovided, and complementary means 15, 16 are provided on the spout capand tube for axial movement of the cap on the tube. For example, saidmeans 15, 16 may be complementary threads, whereby, on rotation of thespout cap 14 in one direction, it would move in a given axial directionon the tube 10; on rotation of the cap in the opposite direction, itwill move in the reverse axial direction, thereby selectively opening orclosing the outer end 17 of the tube and thereby the container. The capcomprises an end wall 18 and a side wall 19 depending therefrom anddefining therewith a cup-shaped cross section; the cap has an aperture20 in the side wall thereof, and complementary means are provided on thecap and tube to prevent displacement of the cap from the tube. As shownin Figs. 1 and 2, illustrating a practical form of complementary means(the drawings will suggest other forms that may be used with equalefiicacy), said complementary means 2,860,821 Patented Nov. 18, 1958comprise an inwardly extending part 21 formed on the lower end of thecap 14 and a projection 22 formed on the tube 10 in line with inwardlyextending part 21. The outer face of the tube may be upwardly tapered atthe lower end thereof as indicated at 23, whereby, when the cap isclosed on the tube as in Fig. 1, the inwardly extending part 21 of thecap will abut the tapered portion of the tube and thus seal the cap onthe tube. The cap has a laterally extending lip portion 24 in registrywith the aperture 20 in the side wall of the cap. Said lip portionpreferably tapers outwardly and terminates in a' tip edge 25 to preventcapillary or other adherence of the material dispensed. The sides 26 ofthe lip portion 24 may extend arcuately longitudinally as noted at 36(Fig. 1). Said lip portion 24 is preferably disposed below the plane ofthe end wall 18 of the cap so as to be essentially in line withthe upperedge 27 of the tube 10, when the cap is closed.

On movement of the cap to its open position (Fig. 2) and tilting thecontainer 13, the contents thereof will flow smoothly from the opening28 defined by the upper edge 27 of the tube 10 and the inner face 29 ofthe end wall 18 of the cap 14.

As will be apparent from a consideration of the attached drawing and theforegoing description, there is thus provided a dispenser unit whereinthe cap 14 is captive that is, it cannot be accidentally removed. Thecap may be made, for example, of plastic or other material and theinwardly extending part 21 of the cap may be initially forced or snappedover the projection 22 of the tube 10. This may be readily achieved ininitial assembly; the parts in use could not then be accidentlydisplaced. When the cap 14 is rotated to the position shown in Fig. 2,it will come to a pronounced stop on abutment of the parts 21 and 22.

It is found, in practice, that the construction above described providesa means for automatically dispensing measured quantities of materialsfrom containers because of the absence of an air vent. Thus, on tiltingthe container, a measured quantity of the contents thereof will bedischarged automatically; then it will be necessary to restore thecontainer to its vertical position to provide an air vent required forthe discharge of another quantity of material from the container onrepeating the cycle of tilting the same. A further important feature ofthe invention consists in a provision of means for sealing the cap tothe tube, not only at the points 21, 22 thereof, but also at the upperedge of the tube by providing a serrated portion 30 on the upper edge 27of the tube- 10 (Fig. 2), and providing the inner face of the end wallwith a portion 35 of complementary outline inwardly of the juncture ofsaid side wall with the end wall 18. Thus, when the cap 14 is closed onthetube 10, the serrated portions 30, 35 of the cap and tube will haveinterfitting and sealing engagement. The lip portion 24 of the cap 14may be conical transversely as indicated at 31 in Fig. 3. The tube 10has an axial opening 32 therethrough and said opening has a portion 33of smaller diameterfor a length thereof adjacent the upper end of thetube; a portion 34 of said axial opening 32 adjacent the lower end ofthe tube may be tapered upwardly. Thus the tube is provided withprogressively constricted portions defining the opening 32 to slow upthe passage of materials therethrough.

We claim:

1. A pouring device for use with a container having an opening,comprising a tube adapted to be secured, at its lower end, in thecontainer opening and extending therefrom, a spout cap having a serratedportion on the inner face of the end wall thereof inwardly of itsjuncture with the side wall, and a portion of complementary outline atthe upper edge of the tube for interfitting engagement with thementioned portion on saidinner face when the cap is closed on the tube,to then seal the device, and complementary means on the spout cap andtube for movement of said cap axially on the tube to thereby selectivelyopen or close the outer end of the tube and thereby the container, saidspout cap comprising an end wall and a side wall depending therefrom anddefining therewith a cap-shaped cross-section and having an aperture insaid side wall, and complementary means on the cap and tube. to preventdisplacement of the cap from the tube, and a laterally extending lipportion on said cap forming a spout tapering laterally from the aperturein the side wall of the cap.

2. In a pouring device as set forth in claim 1, said lip portion beingtapered outwardly and terminating in a tip edge below the plane of theupper wall of the cap.

3. In a pouring device as set forth in claim 1, said means to preventdisplacement of the cap from the tube comprising an inwardly extendedpart at the lower end of the cap and a projection formed on the tube,spaced from its lower end in line with said part.

4. In a pouring device as set fourth in claim 1, said projection on thetube being a circumferential ridge.

5. In a pouring device as set forth in claim 4, a tapered portion on theouter face of the tube at the lower end thereof, the tube and cap beingso proportioned that said inwardly extending part of the cap will abutthe tapered portion of the tube and thus sealing the cap on the tube onaxial movement of the cap downwarly on the tube;

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS297,952 Rubin Apr. 29, 1884 559,351 Bea'l May 5, 1896 1,478,035Hothersall Dec. 18, 1923 1,509,419 Colgate et al Sept. 23, 19241,509,431 Ittner Sept. 23, 1924 1,601,818 Fusay Oct. 5-, 1926 2,463,152Clark Mar. 1, 1949

